Brenner, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,444, expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a urological drain bag assembly mounted to one end of a urological table. Such devices enable fluid collection to take place while a urologist performs an examination and/or a medical procedure. Typically, due to the desirability of minimizing interference with the urologist, these devices locate the bag between a patient supported on the table and a urologist sitting near the end of the table.
The cited Brenner patent discloses a drain bag and hinged support means which can be pivoted down and up between a fully open position, through an attitude affording maximum splash protection, to a fully closed position in which the bag and support are completely out of the way and permit maximum "elbow room" to the urologist. FIG. 2 shows the open position, with the device mounted to the table for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, thereby enabling a splash protector to rotate about the axis to provide better splash protection as the urologist moves toward or away from the table. FIGS. 7-10 show a modified form of the drain bag support.
A publication by Siemens entitled "Uroskop B 2: Urological X-Ray Examination Table" discloses a pair of spaced elbow supports pivotally mounted on opposite sides of a urological table at an examining end thereof. While such elbow supports may provide some degree of convenient and steady support for the elbows of a urologist when sitting relatively close to the end of the table, no support is provided beyond this distance. If required to move away from the table beyond this distance, the urologist will eventually have to perform without steady elbow support. Moreover, table mounted supports of this type, although pivotal, do not provide sufficient freedom of movement. If additional freedom of movement is necessary, the urologist must contort his or her body position in order to keep the elbows on the supports.
Plum, U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,619 discloses a garbage bag holder of mutually articulated rod elements, one of the rod elements being connected to a cupboard door and another of the rod elements being connected to a frame to which the door is hinged. The bag holder is transferred from a closed position to an open position when the door is opened from the frame, and from an open position to a closed position when the door is closed.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved drain bag support assembly which permits increased maneuverability of the urologist with respect to the table, while at the same time provides the urologist maximum convenience and steady support during the performance of a medical procedure.